Left-wing candidate takes lead in Croatian election

A Left-wing candidate pledging to tackle corruption and organised crime looks
set for victory in Croatia's final presidential election before the country
joins the European Union.

By Matthew Day in Warsaw

6:30PM GMT 10 Jan 2010

Exit polls gave the Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic 64 per cent of the vote – a significant lead over Milan Brandic, his only rival and Zagreb mayor, in a run-off vote to see who will lead the Balkan country into Europe in either 2011 or 2012.

Croatians have grown weary of criminals operating with impunity and the apparent connivance of high-placed officials, and have also become acutely aware that a failure to deal with the issue could undermine their chances of joining the EU on schedule.

Having learnt its lessons from admitting Bulgaria and Romania before they had made significant progress in tackling organised crime, the EU it placing great pressure on Croatia to clean up its act before membership.

Corruption may also have contributed to Mr Brandic's defeat.

Although charismatic and possessing a wealth of experience in local government, his campaign has been undermined by string of corruption allegations.

The 52-year-old victor, who is a legal expert and classical music composer, victor will have to help the government reform Croatia's economy, which has suffered owing to the damage to its tourist industry wrought by the global recession, and privatise state-owned industries such as its loss-making shipyards.

The president will also have to ensure that arbitration to resolve a long-running border dispute with neighbouring Slovenia remains calm as any disruption to the talks could provoke Ljubljana to veto Croatia's EU membership.